Miller Time: February 2015

Ellison is 3!!! For her birthday yesterday, we had a very Ellison-centered day. Her favorite foods, special decorations, a cupcake AND cake and ice cream, story time at the bookstore, and of course...presents.

For breakfast Ells got pancakes with 3 candles. All day long she kept asking, "did I turn a different number?" which cracked me up!

We decorated E's door and put up a banner and some balloons for her - we wanted her to feel very special on her birthday! She REALLY loved playing with all the balloons.

We hadn't been to story time at Barnes & Noble in awhile, but I know how much Ellison loves it (especially the crafts relating to whatever book is being read that week), so we headed over there after Kellen's nap. Ellison even got a free cupcake for her birthday, which she got to eat after one of her favorite lunches (grilled turkey and cheese).

After napping it was almost time to Daddy to come home (with pink tulips for Ells) so we could have E's birthday dinner. Macaroni and cheese is her absolute favorite so of course we had to have that! Then she got to open her presents from me, Jay, and Kellen. She got a LeapReader, some books, 2 new puzzles, and a Minnie dress up outfit, which she was ecstatic about!

Then it was time for cake and ice cream...and a few more presents. Gramma, Papa, and Auntie Kon stopped over, and Ellison got a set of Barbies and horses (to go with one of her favorite movies), some art/coloring stuff, a set of horse sheets for her new bed, and a sensory table to share with Kellen. We are super excited to have that! Thanks to Papa Ron for making it!!!

What a great day for Ells! She also got a lot of special phone calls (from all of her grandparents), Facetime with her aunt Shell and cousins, an e-card from Grandma and Grandpa Miller, and some mail from Great Grandma and Great Joe! She was very excited. She is so lucky to have such a wonderful family who loves her SO much!

These balloons definitely provided a LOT of entertainment and laughs! I think Ells burned a week's worth of calories running around and playing with them. Now we are looking forward to the kids' birthday party next weekend!!!

We are so close to having a 3 year old and a 1 year old. Unbelievable!!! Both kids have birthdays coming up in the next few weeks. Ellison seems so grown up, and Kellen is almost a toddler. Time really needs to slow down!

In about an hour, Ellison will be 3. Sometimes I forgot she isn't yet, because people always think she is older than 2. Every time we go somewhere, someone will comment on well she talks, how tall she is, how much older she looks than 2 or 3...it's great to hear that people think she's really well-spoken, but also makes me sad because it's proof that she's not little anymore! She has grown so quickly from our mop-headed "Sweet Pea E" to a little blonde ball of energy, who says the funniest things and amazes us every day with her beauty and brains. We are so blessed to call her our daughter!

Ellison got an early birthday present from Gramma and Papa - bunk beds. She loves them! She wanted to sleep in the top bunk, but for now we just read our books up there before bed and some of her "buddies" hang out up there. She has had no issues at all transitioning from the toddler bed to a twin bed. Such a big girl! Now we have to work on making her room into a "big girl" room to match the bunks and her new horse bedding...

Ells is loving gymnastics. We put her in the same class she took the first time so that she could work on listening to the coaches and doing all the stations, and she is doing great! After only 2 weeks the coach told me that next session she is ready for the hour-long class, which is just for the kids (no parents assisting with everything). Basically I think that means she listens well enough to do class without me, but it's still exciting.

Kellen is 11 (and a half) months old. He is such a joy! He is constantly trying to climb things - he can almost get up on to the couch, he tries to climb up into Ellison's bed, he tries to get into the bathtub, he climbs up on the ottomans for the gliders in the kids' rooms. Unfortunately he's been sick for the last week or so - his first ear infection. He's normally such a smiley guy that it's been really tough to watch! He is on amoxicillin now, and the happy version of Kellen has been a much more common sight. He weighed in at 19 lbs, 6 oz at his doctor visit.

I may have mentioned before, but both kids are doing the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program. Ellison is up to almost 300 books and we just finished Kellen's first 100. He doesn't like to sit still to be read to and usually ends up kicking at the book or squirming away, so I've only been counting the ones he actually sits through. We are only logging each book once (even though you can repeat) so it's pretty crazy that we've read almost 300 different books in just a few months!!! We have been making LOTS of trips to the library.

On Valentine's Day our little Valentines were not super cooperative with pictures, but we tried! Jay worked, and the kids and I started the day with heart shaped pancakes. Ellison also had pink milk. Gramma and Papa hung out with Kellen while I took Ellison to gymnastics, and when we got back Ellison opened her present from them (Kellen was napping). It's a horse that walks on a leash, and she is obsessed! She named it "Trotsy".

When Jay got home the kids opened their presents from us - Kellen got a new book and some treats and Ells got candy, stickers, a new little owl buddy, and her first plant! She promised Daddy she would help take care of it, and later she told me she needs to open the blinds in her room every day so it can get sunlight. Smart girl! Then we headed out to a birthday party for a friend at Big Head Brewery. Ellison had a blast running around, playing with the bags (they have indoor bags set up) and dancing to the music of the "piano man"!

We've been doing lots of prep for the kids' birthday party. The basement floor is done now, and lots of organization has been done over the past week or so. It's really coming together nicely. I've started making decorations (with some help from my sister) and hope to get everything I want made done in time. It's a lot harder getting this stuff done with two kids!

The next few weeks are going to be a little crazy. Jay worked this past weekend, I work this upcoming weekend, and then it's birthday party weekend! Plus between now and the second week in March we've got Ellison's birthday, a zoo class, Kellen's birthday, family pictures, pediatrician appointments...it's a little overwhelming! Lots of fun memories to be made though - as sad as I am that my baby won't be a "baby" anymore, I am excited for all the festivities surrounding the kids' birthdays!!! Should be a really good time and I will have LOTS of pictures to post from the next few weeks.